After Scandals, Pentagon Orders Review Of Senior Officer Ethics

WASHINGTON, DC — In the wake of the most recent scandal to ensnare current and former top military officers, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta ordered the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to begin a review of ethics rules, the Pentagon announced Thursday.

“Over the past several months, the Secretary has spoken with the service secretaries, service chiefs, and combatant commanders about those instances when senior officers have not lived up to the standards expected of them,” Pentagon press secretary George Little said in a statement.

“This week, the Secretary directed General Dempsey to work with the other members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to review how to better foster a culture of stewardship among our most senior military officers,” he added.

Retired Gen. David Petraeus’ affair while serving in Afghanistan and the e-mails sent by current Afghanistan commander Gen. John Allen are only the latest in a series of embarrassments for the military.

Just this week former Gen. William “Kip” Ward was demoted and ordered to repay $82,000 for improper use of government resources while running U.S. Africa Command.